Department of Business, Government and Society

Business, Government, and Society: BGS

Lower-Division Courses

Upper-Division Courses

BGS 325. Social and Ethical Responsibility of Business.

Restricted to students in a business major. Examines ethical aspects of the decision-making processes of managers and employees. Also explores responsibility of firms to society and other constituencies. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office, or the school's BBA Exchange Programs. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Business, Government, and Society. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.

BGS 170, 270, 370. Topics in Business, Government, and Society.

For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Varies with the topic.

Topic 1: Energy Technology and Policy. Designed to give students an understanding of the broad context of energy production and consumption in the U.S. and the world. Discusses past energy trends and fundamentals of energy and power, including fossil fuels and renewable energy sources and technologies. Explores different energy resources, environmental impacts, and societal uses of energy, and concludes with an evaluation of future energy technology options. Additional prerequisite: Upper-division standing.Topic 2: Ethics, CSR, and Service Learning. Examines reasons that seemingly good people sometimes make unethical choices. Explores real-life ethical dilemmas, our decision-making processes, and ideal behavior for the future. An Academic Service Learning course, partnering with corporations (like Google, Inc.), the City of Austin, local non-profits, and other local universities to engage in service projects. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. Business, Government, and Society 370.2 and 370 (Topic: Ethics, CSR, & Service Learning) may not both be counted. Additional prerequisite: Upper-division standing.Topic 3: Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility. Focuses on the development of ethical leadership and responsibility. Learn about basic concepts relevant to business ethics, develop ethical principles in a variety of business domains, and practice discussing ethical issues with people from a variety of viewpoints and backgrounds. Business, Government, and Society 370 (Topic: BUSN ETHICS & SOCL RESPONSBLTY) and 370 (Topic 3) may not both be counted.Topic 10: Nontechnical Exploration and Production. Restricted enrollment; contact the Energy Management and Innovation Center for permission to register. Introduction to the oil and gas exploration and production business for nontechnical personnel. Subjects include prospect generation and leasing, drilling, production, processing, transportation, and closing out a project. Business Government and Society 370 (Topic: Oil and Gas Exploration for Nontechnical Personnel) and 170 (Topic 10), 270 (Topic 10), 370 (Topic 10) may not both be counted. Additional prerequisite: Sophomore standing.

BGS 371. Corporate Political Strategy.

A study of how the political and regulatory environment enables and constrains business activity and how individual firms and groups of firms can ethically yet effectively lobby legislatures, negotiate with regulators, create industry associations, make campaign contributions, and engage in other political activity to gain competitive advantage. Three lectures hours a week for one semester. Only one of the following may be counted: Business, Government, and Society 371, Marketing 372 (Topic: Corporate Political Strategy), 372 (Topic 15). Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

BGS 372. Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility.

A study of how corporations can engage in corporate social responsibility and sustainable activities to improve the world with strategic considerations kept in mind. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

BGS 373. Strategic Corporate Communication.

Studies corporate efforts to inform, motivate, and persuade various constituencies, including investors, employees, communities, and regulators. Subjects include public relations, investor relations, and government relations. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

BGS 374. Global Political Economy.

Exploration of how firms can successfully integrate their traditional strategies with non-market strategy in the global arena, including how to successfully engage with international non-market actors such as foreign governments, regulators, political parties, NGOs, and the media. Examines the necessary tools to craft successful, integrated firm strategies in diverse institutional and political environments. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

BGS 179, 379. Independent Research in Business, Government, and Society.

Legal Environment of Business: LEB

Lower-Division Courses

Upper-Division Courses

LEB 320F. Foundations of Business Law and Ethics.

Restricted to non-McCombs School of Business majors. Not open to law students. Introduction to the legal problems confronting businesses in the global environment. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Legal Environment of Business 320F and 323 may not both be counted. May not be counted toward the Bachelor of Business Administration degree. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

LEB 323. Business Law and Ethics.

Restricted to students in a business major. An investigation of the role of law in society; introduction to legal reasoning, dispute resolution, judicial process, constitutional law, agency, torts, government regulations; business ethics; study of contracts. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Legal Environment of Business 323 and 323H may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only.

LEB 323H. Business Law and Ethics: Honors.

Restricted to students admitted to the McCombs School of Business Honors Program. An investigation of the role of law in society; introduction to legal reasoning, dispute resolution, judicial process, constitutional law, agency, torts, government regulations; business ethics; study of contracts. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Legal Environment of Business 323 and 323H may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Senior standing, Accounting 312H, and credit or registration for Business Administration 324H.

LEB 334M. Healthcare Law and Policy.

Introduces the legal and political environment in which the U.S. health care system operates. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Legal Environment of Business 334M and 370 (Topic: Healthcare Law and Policy) may not both be counted. Offered on the letter-grade basis only. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office or by the school's BBA Exchange Programs. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Business, Government, and Society. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary.

LEB 361. Law of Business Organizations.

Restricted to students in a business major. Study of basic legal principles of business organizations and operations, including practical comparison and assessment of advantages and disadvantages of different types of organization. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Thirty semester hours of undergraduate coursework, or consent of instructor.

LEB 363. Real Estate Law.

An examination of law pertaining to estates and interests in land, conveyances and mortgages, brokers, easements, contracts, default and foreclosure. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Legal Environment of Business 363 and 170 (Topic 13), 270 (Topic 13), 370 (Topic 13) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Thirty semester hours of undergraduate coursework, or consent of instructor.

LEB 366. Commercial Transactions.

Restricted to students in a business major. Applied business transactions, with emphasis on the Uniform Commercial Code; emphasis on bailments, sales of goods, commercial paper, bank-customer relationships, creditor security devices, and bankruptcy. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Thirty semester hours of undergraduate coursework, or consent of instructor.

LEB 170, 270, 370. Topics in the Legal Environment of Business.

Selected topics on legal constraints affecting managerial decision making and business behavior. For each semester hour of credit earned, one lecture hour a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Thirty semester hours of undergraduate coursework; additional prerequisites vary with the topic.

Topic 1: Antitrust Law.Topic 2: Environmental Law.Topic 3: Employer-Employee Relations.Topic 4: Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Business.Topic 5: The Law and the Multinational Corporation.Topic 6: Law of the Entertainment Business.Topic 7: Business Torts.Topic 8: Constitutional Issues in Business.Topic 9: Business Dispute Resolution.Topic 10: Intellectual Property.Topic 11: Sports, Sports Management, and Entertainment Law. Survey of the law as it relates to amateur and professional sports and sports management. Includes an entertainment law component that examines the legal aspects of the film industry.Topic 12: Law of the European Union. Introduction to the rapidly evolving law of the European Union, with particular emphasis on business applications and comparisons to American law.Topic 13: Contracts and Real Property. Restricted enrollment; contact the Energy Management and Innovation Center for permission to register. General real property interests, including land, mineral, and riparian interests. Subjects include duty of landowners; nonpossessory interest in real property; fixtures; liens; co-ownership of real property; the real estate contract; the broker's listing agreements; deeds; and mortgages. Legal Environment of Business 363 and 170 (Topic 13), 270 (Topic 13), 370 (Topic 13) may not both be counted.Topic 14: Oil and Gas Law. Restricted enrollment; contact the Energy Management and Innovation Center for permission to register. Ownership interests in the oil and gas mineral estate. Subjects include conveyance and partition of the mineral estate; trespass and third party claims; and oil and gas lease provisions. Legal Environment of Business 170 (Topic 14), 270 (Topic 14), 370 (Topic 14) and 372 may not both be counted. Additional prerequisite: For non-energy management or non-public policy program students, consent of instructor.

LEB 179, 379. Independent Research in the Legal Environment of Business.